Over the 16 years of independence, Uzbekistan has managed to reform its economy, improved the defence capability of its army, raised people’s living standards and become self-sufficient in grain, oil and gas, President Islom Karimov has said. At his two-hour speech dedicated to the 16th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence, delivered at a government session on 30 August, Karimov also warned of foreign influence. "We all should remember that after giving up communist ideology and moral norms, mass culture - which is completely alien to us and which contains elements of spiritual and moral degradation - may flow in to fill ideological vacuum in society," he said. He also said the next parliamentary election will be held in 2009 and that the parties should be well prepared for them. The following is an excerpt from report by Uzbek Television First Channel on 30 August; subheadings inserted editorially:

Dear friends,

In few days our country will celebrate the 16th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s Independence Day.

[Passage omitted: the years of independence can be divided into two phases: the transition period from 1991 to 2001, and the formation of the national economy from 2001 to 2007]

As is known, after the collapse of the Soviet Union the situation in the post-Soviet space dictated taking urgent measures to prevent a chaos, preserve an order and meet the population’s essential needs, first and foremost, in food.

Dear friends, let us just imagine the situation where wheat and flour reserves were remaining for 10-15 days only and where the country was on the brink of famine. [Passage omitted]

There was a need to prevent full destruction of the existing economic, industrial and financial relations and massive unemployment.

The most serious threat was posed by legal vacuum caused by the ramshackle system of ensuring internal and external security, the danger of increase and surge in interethnic and interreligious, interregional and intertribal conflicts, the growth of radical moods, above all, among young people. To cut a long story short, it was necessary to protect the country from internal and external conflicts, which had taken root during last years of the Soviet Union’s existence.

[Passage omitted: Karimov recalls tragic events of that time]

The formation of the national economy and its drastic reforming were the most important cornerstone of the independent development of the country.

The republic was facing the vital issue of reliably satisfying the country’s and people’s needs, primarily in fuel and energy resources, as well as foodstuffs.

The issue of achieving independence in terms of fuel, energy and grain supplies was on the agenda as the most important strategic task.

Achievements in oil and gas

It was primarily about the fact that Uzbekistan had to annually import about 6-7m tons of oil and oil products and to spend huge currency resources on it, although it possessed huge reliable industrial reserves of natural gas, oil and gas condensate.

Target programmes for extracting and processing local hydrocarbons were developed and implemented, and necessary investments, also by attracting foreign capital to the exploration of new oil and gas deposits, were found in a short period time. A new up-to-date oil processing plant was built in Buxoro, those in Fargona and Oltiariq were modernized and reconstructed, and their sustainable and reliable operation was ensured.

The unique and unprecedented chemical plant was built in Shorton which produces liquefied gas, polyethylene of various types and other products, which are in great demand not only in the republic but also beyond it.

At present the production of oil products have grown three times compared with 1990 thanks to the plants built and reconstructed in the years of independence. At present Uzbekistan does not only satisfy its own needs, taking into account annually growing needs of the country and population, but it also has increased exports.

Today we are satisfying the needs of the country’s industrial development and of the population, which have sharply increased, thanks to the growth in the production of oil and oil products. The number of cars per a 100 family has increased by six times in comparison with the 1990s. What does this mean? We all understand well that this did not happen by accident. Not every country can manage to achieve this. Taking this into account, I would like to say that the economic growth entails a need for fuel. Is there anybody thinking about this or not? About how are we meeting the needs and at what expense? Is this issue being solved so easily? There are no crises and no problems in this field at all. Should we think about this sometimes? About how is the government tackling these issues? Can one solve them in one day? The number of cars are increasing. Generally saying, the Uzbek economy has reached to the level where it absolutely cannot be compared with that of 1990s. From this point of view, one should ask the following questions: How are we resolving these issues?; Who can answer this question objectively or who can reach its roots? It is not a one-day job. It should be planned ahead. What was our goals from the construction of plants, for example, the Buxoro [oil processing] plant? What was a reason behind this?

[Passage omitted: the plants were aimed at export]

Roads

I would also like to speak about railways and motorways. It is no secret that Uzbekistan’s motorways, I will tell you, are not worse than European ones. Some people are aware of this some are not. Some people take the motorways for granted. One km of a six-lane motorway costs 1m dollars. At some sections it costs 2m dollars. Then how are we building the motorways and at what expense?! I would like to tell you, first of all, the people sitting here should appreciate this. Not only appreciate but also reach its roots by asking the questions: How much is being spent on this?; From where the funds come from?; What are the sources?; and Why the funds are being spent to the very thing? Because our people have many other needs. Our country has many other needs. Why is this issue a priority? Our people should certainly become aware of these all. And only after this people will have satisfaction and unity. Only after this we become stronger. Only after this we will get united as one fist to solve the tasks.

As for the railway line that was recently built in the south for a short period of time, then it is 850 km long.

[Applauds]

First of all, these applauds are for our people and their achievements. We should appreciate the people’s work and contribute to this. We should not shy away from applauding people’s achievements.

[More applauds]

Bread, cotton

Let us discuss another issue related to bread products. What was the situation in the past and now? We harvested over 6m tonnes of wheat in 2007. When we talk about this, we forget to compare with the situation in 1990s. W think it is natural that Uzbekistan harvests 6m of grain.

[Passage omitted: we have achieved these results and will achieve more, he says; applauds]

In the first days of independence, the country faced difficulties in supplying the population with bread and flour products. First of all, the reason behind the problem was that Uzbekistan was the major producer and supplier of raw cotton to meet the needs of the USSR and other socialist states. At the same time, Uzbekistan imported over 80 per cent of grain and flour to meet domestic demand.

It should be noted that only about 7 per cent of locally-produced cotton was processed in our country. The rest was exported for peanuts. Nobody thanked us for this and I am a witness. Once, they demanded 5m tonnes of cotton. In 1982, the Communist Party secretary-general asked if we could provide 6m instead of 5m. Hey, do you think that it was easy to produce additional 1m tonnes of cotton. What was left for us was to grow cotton on roofs. There was no land left free of cotton, 88 per cent of land was occupied by cotton in the Fergana Valley. In Andijon it was 80-88 per cent. Where else we had to grow it, in our gardens? We did so. Only 7 seven per cent of the cotton was processed domestically. Nobody knew what happened to the rest. I personally experienced this. I happened to be in the officials’ cabinets. I had to praise the officials because our national interests were behind it. If I tell you now what I heard from them, your hairs will stand on end. I had seen such black days. Cotton had become our natural duty. Lately, they were telling us that it was a must. In the first years, they used to thank us. But later, they forgot to do so.

[Passage omitted: they demanded cotton without thinking about environment, he says]

I was the finance minister at that time. All bookkeeping was available to me. When I showed figures, nobody listened to me. What was going on? As the finance minister, I should say that Uzbekistan was always a subsidized region. I was the finance minister until 1985, at that time Uzbekistan was subsidized 0.5bn roubles, which means the country was among poor republics. This happened because sly people sitting there [in Moscow] were getting cotton for free and providing grain ten times expensive.

We happened to have arguments at the Soviet ministry of trade, which was responsible for distributing goods among the republics. There were candies that we had never ever seen before. When I asked: why are these candies available at your shops and not available at ours? We, the ministers, had to beg the man who was nobody but a department head. He rudely answered: should we deliver candies from Belarus all the way to Uzbekistan?

I am telling these words to you from the rostrum. I think hearing this your hairs will stand on end as well. I angrily asked the man: you are wearing a shirt made of what? We had some brawl there and I had to leave the room. Because, they always turned to be right in any situation. We had to be submissive before them since aggressors ruled the world. If you tell them we have people and children living in Uzbekistan, then they called you a racist.

There are people feeling nostalgic for the old Soviet era. I want to tell them: What are you feeling nostalgic for?

[Passage omitted: the nation that forgets its history has no future, he says; Karimov says that Uzbekistan imported meat, airy products, sugar and even potato during the Soviet era]

The task to achieve grain self-sufficiency has been accomplished. This was achieved, first of all, thanks to fundamental reforms in agriculture, liquidation of cotton monopoly that inflicted great harm on the country’s economy and its environment. Currently, Uzbekistan does not only meet its domestic demand for wheat but also exports flour and grain to the neighbouring CIS states, Afghanistan, Iran and others. It should be noted that achieving wheat self-sufficiency along with stable provision of flour and bread made it possible to solve problem related to the provision of meat, milk and dairy products on the basis of local production.

[Passage omitted: people’s selfless efforts behind the achievements, he says; Karimov on market economy, privatization, improvements in banking system and social security]

Military reforms

[Karimov] Among the work we carried out during this period, formation of our armed forces had a great significance in strengthening our country’s defence capability, and ensuring its stability and security. In the situation, which occurred after the former USSR’ collapse, when controllability, discipline, and order practically disappeared in the armed forces, and when internal and external threats to the country’s security were intensifying day by day, forming the Defence Ministry, its agencies and command bodies in localities was the single right decision that was made promptly. Above all, maintaining and strengthening the officer personnel, staffing the army with national cadres, ensuring their training and retraining, and above all, preventing taking military machinery and weapons out of our country had a great significance.

Who remembers this? Few people know this. After the USSR collapsed, it was in late 1991, sometimes in November and December, our weapons, in general, military hardware, including tanks, modern rockets and all others, were loaded into wagons and trains to take to the northern border. At that time, I undertook everything. I closed the borders completely. I returned everything by saying that no wagon would cross [the border]. Here, I issued a presidential resolution banning any weapon, any assault rifle, from being taken out of Uzbekistan. If we did not act this way, whom would we beg to get back the weapons taken from us?. Whom or whose office would we visit and beg?! And as people say, whom we would tell of our grief?

Then, based on the social, political and military situation in the region which is rapidly changing, a long-term programme for reforming the army was drawn up. It was based on the new principles of creating and organizing the armed forces, taking into consideration the real dangers posing threat to security.

While implementing this programme, our national army has gained new organizational structures, military districts and border regions were formed in a short time, the whole management system of the armed forces, its composition and location of forces and units were reviewed, and a complex of measures were carried out to strengthen the facilities of the forces and to provide them with modern weapons and machinery.

Moreover, subdivisions of special operation forces aimed at carrying out very important combat tasks and the Defence Ministry’s corps for fighting terrorism were set up. During the operations to eliminate militant gangs of international terrorists, which penetrated the mountainous areas in [southern Uzbek] Surxondaryo, Qashqadaryo and [central] Tashkent regions, these subdivisions proved to be a powerful force that is able to appropriately counter any aggressive actions of a possible enemy.

[Passage omitted: Karimov speaks on military reforms, including introducing one-year military service, sergeants training, and conditions for servicemen]

[Karimov] Much was done to socially protect servicemen and their families, to provide them with necessary living conditions. Over the last five years alone, the amount of salaries in keeping with military ranks, and allowances paid after resigning military service, were increased by over two-fold.

[Passage omitted: Uzbekistan had no embassies abroad in the past, and now it has embassies in 48 countries; the country has become a fully-fledged member of a number of international organizations and playing an important role in developments in the Central Asian region; Uzbekistan has reformed the education system; Uzbekistan spends 12 per cent on GDP on education; Great work has been done to ensure inter-ethnic and interreligious accord and to raise people’s legal awareness and spirituality]

Warning of foreign influence

[Karimov] As we are building a new life in our country today, I think we should pay a special attention to one problem. We all should remember that after giving up communist ideology and moral norms, mass culture - which is completely alien to us and which contains elements of spiritual and moral degradation - may flow in to fill ideological vacuum in society,

I want to draw your special attention to this problem. This is such a disaster that we will not notice when it enters. We cannot close down TV, and in general, information tools. They are doing their own business. For example, communication [technologies] make it possible to receive not only Uzbek TV, but all information from abroad. If one has money, he or she can set up connection with the whole world. Sometimes, I am ashamed. There are some [TV] channels in Russian watching of which will astound people. What else one can say? It is impossible to stop this disaster, to put some barrier to this disaster, or close it with a veil.

[Passage omitted: importance of self-conscious]

I think we all should be aware of and understand well this problem. We should realize and understand well that, unfortunately, foreign centres, taking the advantage of ideological vacuum in society, are spending large forces and funds to bring about trends that are alien to us and carry out such attacks and evil-intended actions against our country. We should always be aware of harmful consequences such dangers may bring about.

[Passage omitted: Karimov urges parents to pay more attention to their children]

If we wish to achieve our great goals, above all, we should focus on spirituality. Spirituality and again spirituality. And from this point of view, we should be vigilant and watchful.

[Passage omitted: more in praise of reforms, in particular the transition to a bicameral parliament in Uzbekistan]

Parliamentary election to be held in 2009

[Karimov] Transferring some presidential powers to the Senate, the upper house, and strengthening the prime minister’s rights and powers are also very important in resolving issues related to expanding the rights and powers of the bicameral parliament and ensuring the balance of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

[Passage omitted: Karimov stresses the significance of previous laws on president and the role of political parties in modernization and further democratization of state management]

[Karimov] Parliamentary elections will be held in our country in 2009. By that time every party should prepare hard. It will be difficult [for the parties] to clear the 5-per-cent hurdle if their reputation among people does not increase, if they [do not gain] their voters’ firm trust and support, if they fail to make sure that people will vote for them. It is necessary to explain this to our people. Much work should be done in this regard, because the higher the political and legal awareness of our people, our voters, the higher level the elections will have.

[Passage omitted: praising judicial reforms, Karimov says that the death penalty will be abolished in Uzbekistan as of 2008; he also hails transferring the right to issue arrest warrants from prosecution bodies to the courts]

It should be noted that over 5,000 non-governmental and non-commercial organizations, over 870 newspapers and magazines, about 100 state and non-state TV and radio studios are currently functioning in the country.

[Passage omitted: more in praise of legal reforms]

Economic growth, pay increase

[Karimov] Dear friends!

Speaking of the achievements that we have gained during the years of independence, we evaluate them based on the economic development, its growth rate, the balance between macroeconomic indices, low inflation indices, national currency’s stability and its purchasing power, export, gold and currency reserves’ growth, and sustainable development.

[Passage omitted: GDP has increased by 30 per cent since 1990; over 100bn dollars has been invested in the country’s economy over the independence years; Karimov hails reforms in the tax and agricultural sectors and progress in the communications system]

[Karimov] We all know that the growth rate of people’s salaries and incomes is one of the most significant showings. Speaking about this, we should stress that in 2006 people’s real incomes increased by 2.5-fold compared with 2000, and on average 12- fold compered with 1992. By the end of this year, it is expected that the amount of average salary will reach 200 dollars in our country.

We have set ourselves a strategically important task of increasing salaries 2-2.5- fold in every three years. In particular, if we look at our plans for 2009, an average salary, according to my estimates, will increase 2.5-fold by 2009. And we will certainly achieve this. We will see these day as well. [Applause]

[Passage omitted: The inflation rate will be less than seven per cent by the end of this year; Karimov hails achievements in employment, water and gas supply, and health]

Source: BBC Monitoring/Uzbek TV